What do you really need at the hospital?

[Anonymous]

Husband!

[Anonymous]

Agree with some of the previous posters, aside from the standard things I really am glad I brought the following:

Pillow from Home

Crappy PJ's but ones that you still feel comfortable in, you might get blood on them.

Socks

Snacks

Camera and charger

Cell phone and charger

Computer and charger

[Anonymous]

My daughter surprised us by arriving three and a half weeks early, which meant I didn't have my hospital bag packed and madly threw a few things together before we left for the hospital. The one thing I had packed months in advance were toiletries, and that's probably what I appreciated having the most - it felt so good to take that first shower after giving birth, and it was so nice to have my own shampoo and shower gel. Was also really nice to have my own pillow - the hospital pillows were paper-thin.

I wish I'd packed a robe and possibly another t-shirt - I ended up changing rooms due to a maintenance issue and had to walk from one to the other holding my hospital gown shut, which was not fun, and by the second day I felt good enough that it would have been nice to lounge in a t-shirt and yoga pants. It didn't even occur to me that I could change out of the hospital gown until I saw other new moms in loungewear/pajamas in the hallways.

I also second the recommendation for aspirin - I didn't have trouble getting pain medication when I needed it, but when my husband had a pounding headache from sleeping on what amounted to a window ledge in the labor room, he couldn't get anything and wasn't quite awake enough to go out.

[Anonymous]

A big bath towel. Something you don't mind getting yucky, of course, but I used the hospital's tiny towels for that purpose.

Otherwise, leave most of your stuff at home!! I wore two hospital gowns at once -- one was on the proper way and the other backwards so i didn't moon people. Pack your maternity yoga/lounge pants and a generous top for going home or wearing if you feel the need to get dressed, which i never did!

[Anonymous]

I never used my socks/slippers--couldn't reach my feet. This time I only hope to stay the mandatory 1 night so I'm packing really light.
Bring a robe (I bought a cheap old lady robe at Sears that was perfect b/c it snapped up the front)--I had to go to a Discharge class, but otherwise didn't leave my room (Reston Hosp).
Nursing bras--even if your milk doesn't come in, you may be so sore from nursing that they give you these plastic shells to wear in your bra (turns out my nipples were kinda flat so these shells will draw them out)---I'd suggest buying them anyway, I love the Advent ones.
Use their big comfy underpants. You bleed A LOT and will want to throw them away constantly--I also took some home w/ me as welll as their maxi pads. I also took home those blue "piddle pads" they put on your bed so you won't bleed on the sheets.
You never know if you'll end up w/ a C-section so bring a book/crossword, etc just in case.
Baby nail clippers or mittens---their nails are really long
Swaddles for baby, like Halo or Kiddopotamus. They swaddle baby in a blanket but it's really tricky so the swaddles are fab.
Camera.

[Anonymous]

I think alot of this depends on how close you live to the hospital and if your DH will be staying with you or going home at night. We're under 10 minutes away and planned on DH coming home so I knew that I could always get anything I forgot.

Things I used:

-really comfortable hoodie--hospitals are cold, plus I just wore this without anything underneath and this way it was easy to nurse
-yoga pants
-thick bulky pads--by day 2 I didn't want to use the hospital ones anymore
-some very large underwear--again, I knew I didn't want to use the hospital so I went to target and bought a cheap pack of XXL. I ended up using them for the first few weeks so it was good to have
- ipod and speakers. Didn't use during labor/delivery but did the next 2 days in my room
- basic toiletries--toothbrush, paste, hairbrush, etc. I was not into makeup or anything like that
-flip flops and a pair of cheap slip on slippers free from somewhere

Things I brought and didn't use:

-nursing tanks/bras--like I said above, I just lived in their gowns or my hoodie
- cute outfit to come home in. Left in my yoga pants and hoodie
- books/magazines. When I wasn't staring at the baby or having visitors I was trying to sleep
- boppy--it never worked for me, rolled right off my tummy. I used a bunch of pillows,rolled up blankets and eventually bought a my breast friend

Things DH brought for me the next day:

-I think just the laptop and some starbucks

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

a pen to fill in all the forms

[Anonymous]

I second the flip flop recommendation. My feet were so swollen I couldn't put my shoes on when I was discharged and had to walk from the wheelchair to the car in my socks.

Bring snacks and pain medication (Advil, Tylenol) for your birth partner/spouse. The birthing mother's needs can be met by the hospital but they can't do a damn thing if your partner gets a headache or is hungry.

A pacifier. I know this is controversial. We were not intending to give our DS a paci at all until breastfeeding was well established but he arrived wanting to suck 24/7. For diaper changes, vital sign checks, and the car ride home he had to have a finger in his mouth to suck on or he'd be screaming bloody murder. Hospital gift shop had no pacifiers.